Digital images and videos are represented by pixels that each have a color value. The number of colors that can be utilized to represent an individual pixel is a function of the number of bits utilized to describe the color. Increasing the number of bits used to represent colors increases the number of colors that can be represented. This is referred to as bit depth.
Images are often stored and/or transmitted at a color bit depth of eight bits per pixel per color. When viewed on displays having high resolution and high contrast, objectionable visual artifacts become noticeable as a result of the color bit depth. A common and very noticeable visual artifact is referred to as “banding” or “false contouring,” which occurs when and area of an image that should be a smooth, gradual transition between colors (i.e. a gradient), is instead represented by bands of color with noticeable borders between them. These artifacts can be eliminated by storing images and video at a higher bit depth, where the color value of each pixel is represented by more bits. Many previously recorded images are, however, already stored at low bit depths, such as eight bits per pixel per color. In addition, increasing the bit depth of an image causes a corresponding increase in the space required to store the image and the amount of data that must be transmitted in order to send the image over a network.